A recent study highlights a non-invasive pain management solution for children suffering from various injuries in emergency settings: a nasal spray. This innovative approach promises an efficient and well-tolerated alternative to injections, fulfilling a crucial need in pediatric emergency care where rapid and effective pain mitigation is paramount.
Professor Shammi Ramlakhan, an emergency medicine consultant from Sheffield Children's Hospital and the Universities of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam, led the research. He emphasized the persistent challenge of under-treated pain in children, noting that a significant proportion experience inadequate pain relief within recommended timeframes. To address this, his team investigated a combination of sufentanil and ketamine administered via nasal spray, seeking to provide quick and effective analgesia for young patients.
The study, conducted across seven emergency departments in the UK and Spain between May 2024 and May 2025, involved 152 children aged one to seventeen. Most participants presented with limb injuries, including fractures and dislocations, while others had burns or soft tissue damage. The pain relief regimen consisted of a weight-adjusted dose of sufentanil and ketamine delivered through a nasal spray. Patients' pain levels and any adverse reactions were assessed at 15 and 30 minutes post-administration. Within 15 minutes, over half (54%) of the children reported reduced pain, and this figure rose to 88% after 30 minutes. A substantial 86.2% experienced approximately a 50% reduction in pain, with reported side effects being minor, such as nausea, dizziness, or nasal irritation.
This innovative nasal spray treatment, currently under evaluation for the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) pediatric-use marketing authorization (PUMA) scheme, represents a significant step forward in pediatric pain management. It offers a gentle yet powerful option for children, transforming their emergency department experience and allowing medical professionals a straightforward and impactful tool for care.